1月23日 因瞻仰而改变

我们众人既然敞着脸,得以看见主的荣光,好像从镜子里反照,就变成主的形状。(林后三18)

信徒最卓越的品德与特征,就是在神面前毫无掩饰,以致他的生命成为别人的一面镜子。我们被圣灵充满而改变,又因“定睛仰望”而成为镜子。一个人若有主的荣光,你必然会觉察出来,也会感到他正是主性情的反照。要提防那些叫这镜子模糊的东西;这些东西多半是好的,却不是最好的。

你我生活的准则,就是要专注地保持向神开放。其他一切如工作、服饰、食物,地上的东西就任它去吧。次要的东西不断涌来,很容易阻碍对神的专一。所以我们要常常瞻仰主的荣光,同时要保持生命完全属灵。旁的事随它去吧,旁的人任他批评吧,却绝不可让任何事务迷糊了与基督一同藏在神里面的生命。不要让忙乱破坏了你与他同住的关系,虽然这是很容易被摇动的。信徒生活上最严格的操练,就是学习不断“看见主的荣光,好像从镜子反照。”

祈祷◆噢,主啊,我完全仰赖你。离了你,我就毫无价值。求你今天将智慧、明辨和敏悟的心赐给我。

January 23 Transformed by Beholding

We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image . . . —2 Corinthians 3:18

The greatest characteristic a Christian can exhibit is this completely unveiled openness before God, which allows that person's life to become a mirror for others. When the Spirit fills us, we are transformed, and by beholding God we become mirrors. You can always tell when someone has been beholding the glory of the Lord, because your inner spirit senses that he mirrors the Lord's own character. Beware of anything that would spot or tarnish that mirror in you. It is almost always something good that will stain it— something good, but not what is best.

The most important rule for us is to concentrate on keeping our lives open to God. Let everything else including work, clothes, and food be set aside. The busyness of things obscures our concentration on God. We must maintain a position of beholding Him, keeping our lives completely spiritual through and through. Let other things come and go as they will; let other people criticize us as they will; but never allow anything to obscure the life that “is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Never let a hurried lifestyle disturb the relationship of abiding in Him. This is an easy thing to allow, but we must guard against it. The most difficult lesson of the Christian life is learning how to continue “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord . . . .”